Top weight-loss experts often travel, eating at restaurants, airports and meetings. This week they are being tempted by New Orleans' classic Cajun and Creole dishes — beignets, gumbo, crawfish étouffée, brandy milk punch — while at the annual meeting of the Obesity Society, an organization of weight-loss researchers and professionals. Several experts talked to USA TODAY about how they maintain their weight while on the road.

Gary Foster

Director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University in Philadelphia

Travels: 100 days a year

On eating: "At a lot of meetings, it seems to be a custom that you take your break for snacks, and there are all kinds of cookies, brownies offered. I stay away from that stuff. When restaurants serve large portions, I leave part of it on my plate. I bring a ready-to-eat snack, such as a nutritional bar, on the plane so I don't have to go for hours without eating."

On exercise: "Getting to bed at a reasonable hour is key because it makes it easier to get up and get on the treadmill before the day starts.

"I spend a lot of time taking conference calls, and I walk while I talk. I don't like sitting still for too long, so just walking back and forth helps me get some steps."

James O. Hill

Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver and co-founder of America on the Move, which encourages people to step up their physical activity

Travels: About 150 days a year.

On eating. "I avoid the danish, muffins, doughnuts at breakfast buffets at meetings. I have cereal and fresh fruit. The good news is the buffets are getting a little better. I go to a lot of organized dinners, but I don't eat all that's served to me.

"I end up eating a lot at airports. Airports are terrible. You have to be very careful. You can get a decent meal, but you have to work at it."

On exercise: "I make time to run. I will leave a meeting an hour early so I could get in a run. I also walk a lot in airports rather than sit in the lounge."

Martin Binks

Psychologist at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, N.C., and co-author of The Duke Diet

Travels: 75 days a year.

On eating: "I try to use relatively low-carb eating strategies in restaurants. I stay away from lasagna, pizza, sub sandwiches and pasta. I stick with protein-based meals. You can definitely save calories if you choose items like fish, chicken or steak. It's not pure low-carb eating, but it seems to work for me.

"I don't like to go to restaurants for every meal. I try to pick up something that is healthful.

"Sometimes I don't go to dinner if I can go for a walk with someone instead."

On exercise: "I love to explore cities, so I tend to walk all the time rather than taking taxis."

Karen Miller- Kovach

Chief scientific officer for Weight Watchers

Travels: 150-175 days a year.

On eating: "It's such a big challenge. One trick I try to do is if I don't have a breakfast meeting, I order room service the night before. I always have a poached egg on whole-wheat toast and fresh fruit, so it's controlled, and I get off to a good start for the day.

"I start meals with a salad with the dressing on the side or a broth-based soup so that by the time the entree comes, I'm not too hungry. If I'm going to have dessert, I have sorbet, which is often the lowest-calorie option."

On exercise: "I like to walk. I make rules for myself: I never take a people mover or train in an airport if I don't need to. I only stay in places that have a convenient in-house exercise room."

Rebecca Reeves

Assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and past president of the American Dietetic Association

Travels: 70 days a year.

On eating: "I exert more caution when I'm traveling because I know I'm not exercising as much. My lunch may be a small snack, such as a power bar or fruit, but breakfast and dinner are full meals. If lunches are served during the meeting, I try to select salad or soup if they're available.

"I may cut portions in half and leave half on the plate. I sometimes just take a bite of the dessert.

On exercise: "I try to do more walking. In convention centers, it's easy to do a lot of walking. Whenever I can, I use the stairs instead of the escalators. If my travel schedule permits, I use the fitness center in the hotel."

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Obesity expert Gary Foster's on-the-road breakfast is an egg-white omelet with peppers and onions and some hash browns.

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